Our highway design will better connect transit riders to destinations throughout the region, including downtown Seattle, South Lake Union, the University of Washington, Capitol Hill, and communities on the Eastside. The Seattle Department of Transportation, King County Metro Transit, and Sound Transit are working collaboratively with us on developing multimodal improvements in the SR 520 corridor that support regional transit.

Once fully reconstructed, SR 520 will provide:

More reliable bus trips, with transit/HOV lanes between I-5 in Seattle and SR 202 in Redmond, and direct-access ramps on and off the highway.

Better operations in Montlake, with transit/HOV lanes on Montlake Boulevard, local and regional bus stops on a new Montlake lid, and opportunities for transit-signal priority.

Better operations on the Eastside, with median transit stops opened in 2014 beneath new highway lids at Evergreen Point Road and 92nd Avenue Northeast.

Montlake-area transit updates

Transit-only lane on westbound SR 520 exit to Montlake Boulevard closing in June

We opened a temporary, transit-only lane last October along the shoulder of the westbound SR 520 off-ramp to Montlake Boulevard. We made this modification after hearing feedback from transit riders. This new lane allows bus operators to “jump the queue” of vehicles waiting in the general-purpose lanes to exit SR 520 at Montlake Boulevard. To enable reconstruction of the highway corridor during the upcoming Montlake Project, we'd initially planned to close the shoulder lane in March 2019. Following discussions with our Montlake Project contractor, the lane closure is now scheduled for June 2019.

Transit-only lane on westbound SR 520 exit to Montlake Boulevard

Montlake Freeway Station bus stops also closing in June 2019

Based on a joint agreement between WSDOT, King County Metro Transit (Metro), Sound Transit and the Seattle Department of Transportation, the Montlake Freeway Station will close to prioritize rider safety and enable a shorter construction period for the Montlake Project. WSDOT initially planned to close the stops in March 2019. Based on coordination with our Montlake Project contractor, the last service from these stops will be on June 21. Metro routes 252, 255, 257, 268, 311 and 545, Sound Transit (ST) Express routes 545 and 555, and Community Transit Route 424 will no longer stop in the Montlake area.

For riders who can take advantage of transit access to the University of Washington area using ST Route 542 between Redmond and the University District, WSDOT is providing Sound Transit with funding for additional evening and weekend service on this route. Metro routes 167, 271, 277 and ST routes 540, 541, 542, 556 will continue to serve Montlake Boulevard East and the University of Washington Link station. Bus riders with bikes can board at stops that are open during construction. See more from Metro about traveling by transit with a bike on SR 520.

King County Metro and Sound Transit will provide advance notice to bus riders regarding changes to bus access and service before and during Montlake Project construction. You can sign up for transit-rider alerts from King County Metro Transit and Sound Transit, and find project updates on our SR 520 Program website.

Montlake Project features landscaped lid, multimodal transit center

Upon completion of the SR 520 Montlake Project, a new, landscaped Montlake lid will include a multimodal transit center for local and regional bus service, replacing the function of the current, highway-level Montlake Freeway Station.

Relocating the highway-level stops to the top of the new Montlake lid:

Creates convenient, ADA-accessible connections between regional and local bus routes in the Montlake area.

Provides quicker, safer access on and off the highway for transit/HOV.

Once a new Montlake lid is completed, direct-access ramps will carry buses
to and from the lid's transit station.

SR 520/I-5 Express Lanes Connection

To help meet rising travel demand between the Eastside’s growing cities and Seattle’s booming South Lake Union area, WSDOT is planning to construct a reversible transit/HOV connection between SR 520 and the I-5 express lanes, with direct access to Mercer Street. This new connection, initially planned to open in 2029, will now open as early as 2023 for transit. Carpool access will come after a new Portage Bay Bridge and Roanoke lid are constructed.

In 2014, transit riders on SR 520 saw major improvements in the way their buses move on the Eastside. Two years later, we further enhanced the corridor’s transit operations when we opened the new, six-lane floating bridge on Lake Washington. SR 520’s transit and HOV improvements are decreasing travel times, prioritizing bus trips, reducing unsafe merges, and providing a more reliable trip for transit riders between the Eastside and Seattle.

The Eastside’s new transit infrastructure includes:

One continuous transit/HOV lane on SR 520 in each direction from Medina to I-405, with transit/HOV lanes moved to the inside.

Landscaped lids with ADA-compliant, median transit stops below the lids at Evergreen Point Road and 92nd Avenue Northeast, which provide a safer, more pleasant rider experience than previous roadside stops.

Direct-access ramps at 108th Avenue Northeast that make it safer and quicker for buses and carpools to enter and exit the highway's HOV lanes.

The new floating bridge, unlike its four-lane predecessor, also has transit/HOV lanes in both directions. With the 2017 opening of the new, three-lane West Approach Bridge North across Union Bay, buses and carpools now have their own lane, east and west, between Redmond and Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood.

(Note: During Montlake Project construction, we will remove the old, 1960s-era west approach bridge and build a new, parallel West Approach Bridge South for eastbound traffic. During this time, all traffic between Montlake and the floating bridge will travel on the West Approach Bridge North, with two general-purpose lanes in each direction, and no transit/HOV lanes.)

The Montlake Multimodal Center

An aerial view of the Montlake Multimodal Center, in the foreground looking northwest, with the
UW Medical Center at left, and Husky Stadium at right.

The Montlake Multimodal Center is a transportation hub in the triangle-shaped property known as the Montlake Triangle, across from the University Link light-rail station near Husky Stadium.

Completed in 2016 with support from WSDOT, the Montlake Multimodal Center is a key regional transit destination with connections to the University of Washington, UW Medical Center, local and regional buses, regional bicycle and pedestrian trails and the University Link light rail station. WSDOT worked closely with King County Metro Transit, Sound Transit, the University of Washington and the Seattle Department of Transportation to prioritize safe, efficient connections for pedestrians and bicyclists to reach their destinations.

Together, these agencies designed and built a grade-separated overcrossing that allows pedestrians and bicyclists to travel to and from the Montlake Multimodal Center without having to cross busy streets or wait at a crosswalk.